How to do 11 Techy Things In the New School Year

The new school year is here, why not try something new this year? This guide will get you started on 11 techy things all teachers can do.
Free Technology for Teachers Freetech4teachers.com

Create a Blog Pages 2-10

Create a Wiki Pages 11-14

Create a website Pages 15-22

Create videos Pages 23-27

Create Google Maps Pages 28-32 Save & Share Bookmarks Online Pages 41-45

Create a Backchannel Pages 33-34 Build Your Own Search Engine Pages 46-48

Try Twitter Pages 35- 40

Create a Podcast Conduct Quizzes Online Pages 49-53 Pages 54-57

This is a free guide written by Richard Byrne. This guide is intended to be a quick-start guide for teachers who would like to try using more technology in their classrooms, but just arent sure how or where to start. For ideas on how the tools outlined in this guide can be used, please visit http://bit.ly/11newthings
Image Credit: Flickr user gothamschools

freetech4teachers.com

Create a Blog using Blogger

Step 1:

Step 2:

Create a Blog using Blogger

Step 3:

Step 4:

Nullam arcu leo, facilisis ut

Create a Blog using Blogger

Step 5:

Step 6:

Create a Blog using Blogger

Step 7: Inserting videos and other widgets.

First New Post in Action

Create a Blog using Blogger

Select Settings Tab to Set the Viewing, Writing, and Commenting Permissions.

Choose Permissions Tab

Create a Blog using Blogger

Add Authors and Choose Viewing Permissions

Create a Blog using Blogger

Set Commenting Permissions. Make sure you turn on comment moderation.

Create a Blog using Blogger

Select Design Tab to Edit the Look of Your Blog

Create a Blog using Blogger

Adding Gadgets to Your Blog

10

Nullam arcu leo, facilisis ut

Build a Wiki Using Wikispaces

Step 1: After creating an account select create a wiki.

Step 2: Name your wiki, select permissions, and choose wiki type. Choose education version to have an ad-free wiki.
11

Build a Wiki Using Wikispaces

Step 3: Click edit to begin adding content to your homepage. Click new page to add more pages.

Step 4: Use TV icon to embed videos, Google Maps, and other html widgets.

12

Build a Wiki Using Wikispaces

Step 5: Select the type of widget you wish to embed.
Step

Step 6: If your desired widget isnt in the menu select other html.

13

Build a Wiki Using Wikispaces

Step 7: Paste html code into box and save. Video (or other widgets) will not appear until you exit out of editing mode.

14

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Step 1: After creating a Google Account and logging into Google Sites select create new site.

Step 2: After selecting a template, name site, describe site, and choose visibility setting.

15

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Step 3

Step 4

16

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Adding Videos, Maps, and Other HTML Widgets

17

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Alternate method for adding images, calendars, video, maps, and html widgets to your page(s).

18

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Adding More Pages to Your Site

19

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Editing the navigation of your site.

20

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Edit the sidebar

21

Create a Website Using Google Sites

Adding Collaborators to Your Google Site

22

Create Videos Using Animoto

23

Create Videos Using Animoto

24

Create Videos Using Animoto

Arranging Images and Text Boxes

Adding Audio Tracks

25

Create Videos Using Animoto

Final Steps: Selecting Video Speed, Video Title, and Producer Name

26

Create Videos Using Animoto

Preview the nal product

Sharing Video

Sharing Videos

27

Creating Custom Google Maps

28

Creating Custom Google Maps

29

Creating Custom Google Maps

30

Creating Custom Google Maps

31

Creating Custom Google Maps

32

Create a Backchannel Using Todays Meet

Go to Todaysmeet.com to get started

33

Create a Backchannel Using Todays Meet

34

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

35

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

36

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

37

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

38

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

Finding People and Making Connections on Twitter Follow the people other people mention.

Use keyword searches

39

Build a Personal Learning Network on

Twitter

Ask questions!

Share your ideas!

40

Save and Share Resources Online Google Bookmarks

Go to Bookmarks.Google.com to get started

41

Save and Share Resources Online Google Bookmarks

Optional, but highly recommended, install the Google Bookmarklet. Simply drag to browser to install it.

42

Save and Share Resources Online Google Bookmarks

When conducting a search while logged into your Google account, just click the star icons to add bookmarks to your account.

43

Save and Share Resources Online Google Bookmarks

Sorting Your Bookmarks

44

Save and Share Resources Online Google Bookmarks

Sharing Your Bookmarks

45

Build Your Own Search Engine Google Custom Search

46

Build Your Own Search Engine Google Custom Search

After adding your list of sites to search (you can edit it at anytime) select standard edition, click next, and your search engine is nished.

Go back to your Custom Search Engine account page and open the control panel.

47

Build Your Own Search Engine Google Custom Search

Copy the code provided and paste into your blog, wiki, or website.

48

Create a Podcast using Aviarys Myna Audio Mixer

Go to: Aviary.com/tools/audio-editor

49

Create a Podcast using Aviarys Myna Audio Mixer

50

Create a Podcast using Aviarys Myna Audio Mixer

51

Create a Podcast using Aviarys Myna Audio Mixer

52

Create a Podcast using Aviarys Myna Audio Mixer

53

Conduct Quizzes Online Using Google Document Forms

Sign into your Google Documents Account

54

Conduct Quizzes Online Using Google Document Forms

55

Conduct Quizzes Online Using Google Document Forms

56

freetech4teachers.com

Conduct Quizzes Online Using Google Document Forms

When editing the width of your form bear in mind that most blogs main column is between 450 and 500 px wide.
freetech4teachers.com 57

About the Author

Richard Byrne is a Google Certied Teacher, high school social studies teacher, educational technology consultant, and author of the award-winning blog Free Technology for Teachers.

Need help putting this guide into practice?

Richard Byrne is available to conduct professional development workshops for your school or organization. Here is a list of some of the places hes spoken and is scheduled to speak at in 2010:
MLTI Summer Institute ISTE Annual Conference Reform Symposium ACTEM Annual Conference MOREnet Instructional Technology Conference Connecticut Educators Technology Conference New Hampshire Science Teachers Association Annual Conference

Contact Richard Byrne

Email: richardbyrne (at) freetech4teachers (dot) com Twitter: @rmbyrne
Image Credit: Sarah Sutter

More Free Technology Guides for Teachers

Google for Teachers Google for Teachers II Making Videos on the Web - A Guide for Teachers Beyond Google - Fifteen Tips and Tools for Improving Internet Search Google Earth Across the Curriculum Twelve Essentials for Technology Integration Download all of the free guides at
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/p/free-downloads.html
Copyright and Reuse Policies: You are free to print and electronically publish this work under the following conditions. 1. Do not remove any of the links to Free Technology for Teachers. 2. Do not charge for access to this guide. 3. Do not charge for access to professional development and use this guide as a free gift for attending. You can however, give this guide to workshop participants provided you do not claim the work as your own or alter it in any way. 4. Do not use this guide as a part of any other print publication be it free or for sale. 5. Please contact me with any questions regarding the reuse of this guide not outlined in 1-4 preceding.
58 freetech4teachers.com